But his resume contains hints of the unique blend of medicine Pettus practices, like the stint he did as medical director of The Kripalu Institute for Integrated Healing and the book he wrote titled "It's All in Your Head: Change Your Mind, Change Your Health."

Pettus, 53, who lives in the Berkshires, is the new chief of medicine at St. Peter's Hospital, where he oversees primary care, cardiology and other internal medicine specialties. It is a surprising role for someone whose medical philosophy is not exactly mainstream.

For 20 years, Pettus wrote prescriptions and doled out medical advice the way his professors taught him, but a personal health crisis in his mid-40s changed everything.

He had put on a few extra pounds, his blood pressure was creeping up, his cholesterol was high and his blood-sugar levels were shifting toward diabetes. Basically, he was on the track laid for him by his parents, who suffered and died from those very same conditions.

"I accepted the fact that this was my genetic legacy," said Pettus,

Well, he didn't accept it for long.

He started thinking about how little he exercised, about those three Cokes he drank daily and the grinding work schedule of seeing patients until 8 p.m. and being on-call every third night.

He realized he couldn't blame all his health problems on his genes.

Not one to jump into something halfheartedly, Pettus devoted himself to a new exercise regime and studied nutrition like he was back in med school. He explored foods that lower blood pressure, influence inflammation and increase energy levels.

He stopped drinking soda and removed refined sugars from his diet. In a month, he lost about five pounds, lowered his blood pressure and cholesterol and felt better. After a year, he was so convinced that he was on the right track, he quit his job at Berkshire Medical Center to focus on his own health, his family and spreading the word about caring for yourself without drugs or medical intervention.

"I was under the mythical assumption that I was a prisoner to my DNA. Just as I was lamenting in self-pity, I began to see research suggesting our capacity to influence how our DNA expresses itself," said Pettus, who has a graying crew cut and the lean body of a runner.

He calls DNA the book of life. He had thought the chapters were prewritten, but he now says there are many blank pages "waiting to be filled in by virtue of the conditions we create in our lives."

Today, he mixes nutrition, meditation and lifestyle choices in with his medical advice.

"I feel like a born-again clinician," he said.

Dr. Robert Cella, St. Peter's chief medical officer, worked with Pettus at Berkshire Medical Center and recruited him for the job of chief of medicine. Pettus' pedigree and scientific background make his ideas more credible, Cella said.

"He's a superb physician, first and foremost," Cella said. "He hasn't left behind any of the expertise in conventional medicine. He really has both sides of the equation figured out."

Pettus is holding workshops about healthy living for St. Peter's staff and members of the public. He hopes to introduce nutrition, meditation and yoga into St. Peter's cardiac rehabilitation programs and other facets of care at the hospital.

"I struggle in the sobering awareness that of all the great work that happens in places like St. Peter's and hospitals all over, most people who come through these places ultimately return to conditions that created the problems to begin with," Pettus said. "Food, movement and mindfulness are much more powerful and natural. When people experience the power of those ways of experiencing life, over time, it's hard to imagine the potential ... and Lipitor is not going to get you there."

In his mid-40s, Pettus had put on weight and he was on a path toward heart disease and diabetes. As a medical doctor, he knew he could take medications, but instead, he changed his eating, exercise and lifestyle.

Pettus is leading a lecture series called "The Origins of Health" at St. Peter's Hospital's conference room No. 1, near the Emergency Department entrance. The free programs begin at 6 p.m. and run 90 minutes:

Nov. 15: "Detoxification: Waste Not Want Not" will examine the effect of environmental toxins on your health and quality of life. Pettus will present strategies to reduce this burden with an emphasis on lifestyle, behavior and supplementation interventions.

Nov. 29: "Mind-Body Balance, Allostasis, and Health" will provide an overview of the "science of mind" where the neurosciences meet well-established mind-body practices. Pettus will discuss how a person's brain can be influenced to make better choices that promote health and wellness.